The Telomerase Revolution

We are at the beginning of a scientific revolution. Dramatic life extension has moved from science fiction to real possibility. The Telomerase Revolution reveals the latest research on human aging and the enzyme telomerase which is starting to be used to slow the rate at which our cells - and we - age.

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Named one of Wall Street Journal's Best Books for Science LoversScience is on the cusp of a revolutionary breakthrough. We understand more about aging - and how to prevent it - than ever before.Now life-extension has moved from science fiction to real possibility.Dr. Michael Fossel has been at the forefront of aging research for decades. In The Telomerase Revolution, he takes us on a scientific journey, with startling insights into the nature of human aging.Scientists now know that human aging is the result of cellular aging. Every time a cell reproduces, its telomeres - the tips of the chromosomes - shorten. With every shortening of the telomeres, the cell's ability to repair its molecules decreases. Human aging is the result of the aging of the body's trillions of cells. However, the enzyme telomerase re-lengthens the telomeres, keeping these cells young.The Telomerase Revolution describes how telomerase is starting to be used as a powerful therapeutic tool, with the potential to dramatically extend life spans. It offers promise for treating Alzheimer's and many other diseases of aging.'
A fascinating story that pulls together at last a single coherent theory of how and why growing old leads to so many different forms of illness. It also offers a tantalizing promise that we might soon know not only how to cure and prevent age-related diseases, but how to reset the aging process itself. Michael Fossel is a radical optimist.' - Matt Ridley, author of Genome and The Rational Optimist